Think Out Loud with Rachel Mepham

After a short break over winter, I am back with some thoughts, ideas and some great interviews with an array of wonderful people. Talking about innovation and technology within marketing, AI, virtual reality, hybrid working and the software to support it, marketing for events and keeping ahead of the curve. There is lots to explore and discuss. I look forward to speaking to you soon and exploring thoughts, ideas and things we all think but possibly don't say out loud! Sorry about the rant about how terrible internet service providers are!

Today's special guest is an energetic, motivated, fitness guru, proving to women that you can have your cake and eat it. Based in Nashville Tennessee in the US, she has a doctorate in physical therapy, and certifications in personal training and nutrition. She helps people achieve a healthy balance of life, fitness, eating and enjoyment. Founder and personal coach at HLB Lifestyle, Hannah Brandt! Welcome” Get to know Hannah: If you were stranded on a desert island and could take one luxury item - what would it be Everyone has their obscure songs or music they like that sometimes may be a little embarrassing? What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? You're having a dinner party and can invite one famous person - dead or alive - who is it going to be Let's get down to business: Starting with an easy question – What is HLB Lifestyle and what is it you do for people? Our business process is very similar. You say you take a “detailed look at where a client has been, where they are now, and where they want to be” It fascinates me because although we work in completely separate industries, the similarities are so aligned. 3 questions in one: How do you make sure that the goals a client wants to achieve are realistic? Can anyone achieve what they set out to do, or do you need to have a particular mindset? Are there people you can't help? Can you give the listeners your top tips to motivating yourself to eat well and keep fit when many of us are either still working from home, Or on the other end of the scale – working every hour under the sun that we feel we don't have time to exercise or prepare healthy food! Episodes you might like: How to make your brain more productive: https://anchor.fm/rachel-mepham/episodes/How-to-make-your-brain-more-productive-e15dhob Special Guest - Sara Giddens, Kahua Inc : https://anchor.fm/rachel-mepham/episodes/Special-Guest-Sara-Giddens---Director-of-Industry-Marketing-at-Kahua-e14i3ec

It has been a long day and my brain is frazzled because I have so much I am thinking about. Why is it people don't talk about how thinking is so tiring? Especially MD's, C-suite, directors, heads of departments, they never talk about brain exhaustion. They never talk about how they feel drained from thinking and making decisions all day. Sometimes does it feel like you have made no progress, no tasks are crossed off the list, you have spent all day on calls and video conferences, speaking to people, making decisions, answering questions, guiding, leading, discussing! Making leadership decisions day in day out, hiring, firing, marketing, sales, business direction, investment, roles and responsibilities the list never ends... No wonder you are thinking so much, no wonder your brain hurts, no wonder you can't sleep. Thinking too much is exhausting, so don't beat yourself up, its normal. Also make time for a brain break! If you are interested in some ideas to make your brain more productive listen to Episode 15 - How to make your brain more productive.

People often think it is an easy task to fix the SEO of a website. However there are so many complexities from such a simple question. So here are some tips if you are asked the question "How to fix your SEO"! Firstly - make sure you know what data you are working with. When you say fix - what does that mean? What has changed, what has dropped off, what has decreased or stopped working? Is your tracking even set up and counting correctly. What analytics are you using? Google Analytics, web logs, HubSpot analytics, user experience tracking. There are so many ways to track visits to your website, first make sure you know what you are tracking and that the numbers are accurate. Then understand good vs bad traffic - who are you trying to engage with, what location are they, what device, what are they searching for - and what search queries are they using to search? Once you can understand what the problem may be and where it is occurring, look at timings. Segment the data to try to understand what dropped off and when. Really try to pin point when things changed and from where. From here it is likely you need to utilise an SEO specific tool, Search Console, SEMRush, Moz, Majestic, Ahrefs, or any other platform which will help you dive into the potential technical errors with the site, ranking performance and the back link profile. There are so many areas to probe into - it is now important to make a plan and test what changes you make, benchmark them and learn what is having an impact. Good Luck, and for more reading up on ways to improve or fix your SEO, visit our Digital Clarity blog

I have taken some interesting top brain facts from an article on the dentinstitute.com website. I love interesting information about the brain, how it works, how we can improve it's functionality and productivity, how we store information etc.. I found an interesting article from the Dent Institute posted in 2019 - 22 facts about the brain and have borrowed just a few to help us think about how we can be more productive, less tired and power actual lightbulbs - not just idea light bulbs with our brain! Working in a busy, stressful environment like digital marketing, these interesting tips and insights may help your brain function at it's best! Lets explore a few of those brain facts together: Multitasking is not productive - you are just spreading tasks out - do one and move on The brain is 75% water - WOW I know! Therefore it is essential to keep hydrated for the best brain functionality and performance It's a myth that humans only use 10% of the brain - we need it all! Brain Freeze is not good! We generate thousands of random thought every day - just guess how many of those thoughts are duplicates! Exercise is as good for the brain as it is for the body The brain produces enough electricity to power a light bulb! Do not under estimate the power of sleep - the brain needs sleep to function at its best. If you have enjoyed listening to today's podcast please subscribe for more content where that came from on Think Out Loud.

This week's special guest is joining us from across the pond! Taking the art of marketing construction software to another level. From strategic planning through to analysis and ROI reporting, she has “built” on her career within the B2B software space. Director of Industry Marketing at Kahua - Sara Giddens. We discuss the evolution of women in the construction industry, why the agile construction software is so important in times of change and the future of digital transformation.

How many times have you said...'I'll do it tomorrow'? I certainly have. But why? Whether that be going to the gym, making a call, arranging a meeting, even doing the housework! In our busy lives there are a number of reasons we might put things off till another day. Let's explore some of the top reasons together why we put off tasks until tomorrow. You don't want to do it You're scared of it your concerned about the outcome Your unsure what to do or how to do it You prioritise other things

Today we have another special guest. She is a grafter, a hard worker, one of the most organised people I have ever met - Senior Strategist, Sophie Burrows. Learn more about the real Sophie Burrows, a digital marketeer with over 6 years experience. She loves organisation and pink! Find out what she doesn't like! Then we explore Sophie's thoughts and advice on the biggest marketing challenges B2B companies face and the positives of an ever changing market, that is Digital Marketing! Sophie Burrows LinkedIn Sophie Burrows Digital Clarity Blog

With a number of businesses looking to get their employees back in the office, and many employees looking for more flexibility after the long period of working from home, should employers have the power to force people back into the office? It's a controversial discussion I have had with many people. What's your opinion? Back to full working days? Flexible hybrid working? Continued working from home? Listen to hear my thoughts on getting back to the office.

What are cookies? What is the difference between 1st and 3rd party cookies? What are FLoCs and why does all this matter to you? Google Chrome will no longer support 3rd party cookies in 2022, and that will have a major impact on some advertising methods which are currently reliant on 3rd party cookies to reach potential customers with their advertising. Lets try and break down something fairly complex into bite size pieces together. I am not a Cookies, Browser or FLoC expert so any comments, feedback or insights you would like to share - please do so on my social media channels Rachel Mepham LinkedIn Rachel Mepham Twitter Rachel Mepham Email This episode is pretty full on, so if you are more of a visual person like me - click the link below to my YouTube video to explain things a little more visually! What are FLoCs - YouTube? Digiday- Amazon block Google FLoCs !!!UPDATE SINCE RECORDING!!! - Google Chrome is postponing 3rd party cookie removal till the end of 2023!

Are you bored? Fed up? Frustrated and feel like you are not getting anywhere? What is boredom? Why are you feeling how you do and is there anything you can do about it? This weeks episode explores some ideas to help combat boredom. Are you actually bored with your job, or are you not pushing yourself? Is everyday blending into one, and if so try mixing it up with a few simple changes.

Today's special guest loves to roll her sleeves up and dive head first to a LinkedIn Ad campaign! An introduction to Alice Stapleton and her advice to anyone starting out in digital marketing. Listen to her tips for getting experience within the market and how to make your own luck when it comes to making your career in the digital marketing landscape. Find out what made Alice get into Digital Marketing, What the hardest thing is about this industry and working for an agency and advice for people starting out. Alice Stapleton LinkedIn Alice Stapleton Digital Clarity Blog Google Skill Shop

From the honeymoon period through to an awkward ending - No one wants a client agency relationship to go bad. Both parties may have all the best intentions at the start but some key factors may have lead to a breakdown in the relationship. 1. Communication 2. Expectations 3. Deliverables Listen to find out my tips on how to prevent a client agency relationship breakdown.

I love seeing the angle of other peoples heads! I nearly forgot people are 3D not 2D! Meeting up after the lockdown has been lifted is like a deep breath of fresh air. It seems like such a long time since I had eaten dinner out. Going into the office is also a welcome break to staring at myself on Zoom, after Zoom, after Zoom video call. Video calls have a place and without them, we would have struggled over the last year, however, lets not overuse them, lets mix it up. Why not call each other, or meet up again since lockdown restrictions are lifting. Don't shy away from it, try not to be anxious about it, it will make you feel great once you make it.

An introduction to Reggie James, Founder and CEO of Digital Marketing Consultancy - Digital Clarity. We explore some insights to Reggie's personality to learn a little more about the man who started digital consultancy, Digital Clarity. Discussing why Reggie James started Digital Clarity as well as his views on the digital marketing and business landscape for 2021 and how the future looks for businesses post pandemic. Reggie James LinkedIn Reggie James Digital Clarity Blog

Why do we put off calling or messaging people, even those people close to us including family and friends. You may have worked with clients or customers who you are no longer in touch with but you had a really good relationship. Do you feel anxious about calling them, or have you just forgotten and not got around to it. Sometimes that one call can make such a difference, not only to them but to you. It may open new doors, potential deals, new avenues of conversation and more importantly put a smile on both your faces. Just make that call.

Get some fresh air, take a walk, clear you head.  When working in a dynamic and fast paced industry like digital marketing, often it can feel stressful. Add to that a global pandemic and huge shifts in how people do business, so it isn't surprising if people are feeling anxious about their current situation or what lies ahead. But sometimes change, no matter how hard it feels can be positive.  So, let's take a breath, be in the moment rather than worrying whats around the corner, and look after ourselves.

Why do we get nervous when pushing back on clients and giving our honest feedback?  Is it down to agency pressures or targets you have to achieve by 'keeping the client happy'! If only we were able to apply a little more confidence the outcome is often better for all involved.  Why do we shy away from talking about budgets and fees? Our value lies in the experience, knowledge and expertise we have gained over the years - let's remember clients have come to us for help in the first place and next time have more confidence in yourself.

This is the first episode of Think Out Loud, a podcast which explores a number of things I think about on a regular basis. This first instalment is a short intro - Who is Rachel Mepham? What I like, what I do and what I think. I am head of digital at a digital marketing agency in the UK and have been working since 2002 in the digital marketing space. There is also a person behind that job title, so let's find out a little more...